Beautiful three-acre woodland will enable villagers to get back to nature in Barrington

Children can make dens and create insect hotels when they explore a new woodland area donated to a village.

A dedication ceremony was held at the Queen Elizabeth II Woodland in Barrington to mark its official opening on Saturday.

The three-acre site includes a beautiful wildflower area and has been handed to the village by CEMEX who operated Barrington Cement Works until it closed five years ago.

The parish council has registered the woodland under the Fields in Trust project, set up to mark the Diamond Jubilee and 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, to protect the public recreation ground for future generations.

County Councillor Sebastian Kindersley unveiled the site’s plaque at the opening event on Saturday.

Valerie Tookey, Barrington Parish Council clerk, said: “Well over 60 people came down and I was quite pleased to see a real mixture of age ranges. People had a great time exploring the site, children enjoyed a nature trail and won prizes from the Fields in Trust organisation.

“I showed some elderly residents around and they were amazed by what was being done. Volunteer groups, including the village Women’s Institute, have cleared brambles and nettles to create a wildflower area and have made the woodland safe, as well as creating paths and ‘ringles’ with seating.”

South Cambridgeshire District Council has also pledged to install bird and bat boxes to encourage wildlife.